Page 15 - Plastics News September 2020
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DS Smith and Aquapak partner for fibre-based PolyQuest to expand PET recycling operations
packaging solutions in Darlington SC
ustainable packaging company DS Smith and ilmington, North Carolina based PolyQuest Inc,
Sbiodegradable polymer solution provider Aquapak Whas announced it will invest in its polyethylene
have partnered to develop fibre-based packaging terephthalate (PET) recycling operation in Darlington,
solutions. Under this partnership, the solutions will be South Carolina considering the growing demand for
targeted to replace or reduce hard to recycle plastic postconsumer recycled content. Since 2006, the
packaging. The partnership has completed pilot trials company has produced recycled PET (rPET) at the
to test performance and recyclability of the Darlington facility. Using either postindustrial or
biodegradable alternatives. The team will now focus postconsumer PET feedstocks, PolyQuest can
on developing solution that will see the use of manufacture amorphous, crystallized and solid-state
Aquapak, a biodegradable and water-soluble polymer, rPET resins that are either non-Food and Drug
Hydropol, in place of traditional plastic films. DS Smith Administration (FDA) or FDA approved for food
materials development director Nick Thompson said: contact. The company plans to build at least one
additional FDA-approve rPET line in Darlington that is
scheduled to be operational by the third quarter of
2021, Polyquest mentions that the resin produced by
the new line “will be of high quality and suitable for
use in the vast majority of PET applications.” John
“We are proud to be partnering with Aquapak in
developing a fully recyclable packaging alternative to
non-recyclable plastics. “Aquapak's technological Marinelli, CEO of PolyQuest, says, “This additional
advances in novel barrier chemistries combined with
investment is ultimately driven by our customers'
our broad range of packaging applications can help us commitments to sustainability. They have entrusted
work together to solve many of the most pressing
PolyQuest with their current and future postconsumer
packaging recyclability issues. “The impact will be
rPET resin supply requirements. As such, we have
immediate, and our aims are aligned in bringing a much chosen to proactively expand our recycle capabilities
greater circularity to recyclable packaging products.”
to support their strategic sustainability initiatives and
This exclusive partnership is expected to enhance DS stay ahead of the curve.” The company has additional
Smith long-term sustainability goals including plans to
pelletizing capacity at the plant if it wants to add
produce 100% reusable or recyclable packaging by another intrinsic viscosity (IV) enhancement line.
2025. Aquapak Polymers CEO Mark Lapping said: “Both
Polyquest also operates a reprocessing facility in
organisations are committed to eliminating plastic-
Farmingdale, New York, that produces recycled flake.
pollution at the source and by working together, we can “Our total corporate thermoplastics recycling
help speed up the roll out of recyclable, biodegradable
capacity is approximately 150 million pounds per year,
packaging that is designed for the circular economy as which includes postconsumer washed bottle flake plus
well as being safe for land and sea.” Recently, DS Smith
postconsumer pelletizing and solid stating plus
manufactured a 100% recyclable Greencoat cooler to postindustrial pelletizing,” Marinelli says.
replace the plastic foam coolers.
September 2020 15 Plastics News
